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GCSE French How to use a variety of structures to achieve
HIGHER GRADES.
NEGATIVE EXPRESSIONS
ne … pas not
ne… ne rien not any
ne … personne nobody
ne… jamais never
ne … que only
avant de + infinitive
before doing something
après avoir / être + past participle
after having done something
Adverbs mal badly bien well stupidement stupidly malheureusement unfortunately soudainement suddenly franchement frankly bizarrement bizarrely doucement
direct object
pronouns
le/ la / les
relative pronouns
qui, que,
où
CONNECTIVES
et and
mais but
puisque since
donc therefore, so
par contre on the otherhand
ainsi que as well as
y compris including
sauf except
car because
parce que because
emphatic pronouns
moi, toi, lui, elle,
nous, vous, eux, elles
The present participle
en jouant, en regardant
EXPRESSIONS
OF TIME
OPINIONS &
ADJECTIVES
VARIETY
SEQUENCERS
d’abord,
ensuite, après
finalement...
comparatives
&
superlatives
IS THE SPICE OF LIFE
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Rewrite the following sentences using the appropriate negative expression.
EXAMPLE: Nous lisons. (We do not read) Nous ne lisons pas.
1. Il écoute de la musique. (He does not listen to music) 2. Vous faites vos devoirs. (You never do your homework) 3. Je vois ma mère. (I do not see anybody) 4. Nous jouons au foot. (We only play football) 5. Je mange des chips. (I do not eat anything) 6. Nous regardons la télé. (We are not watching TV any more)
Negative Expressions
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
How many did you get right? Did you have the correct word
order?
If you do not feel ready to include these in your own work, ask your teacher for
further guidance and/or extra practice.
/6
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Direct Object Pronouns IT / THEM
We use these to avoid having to repeat the nouns.
A noun that is a direct object is on
the receiving end of an action.
Je lis le livre.
The book is
being read.
It is a direct
object of the
verb.
We can replace the direct object
with the pronouns
le la les
but they must then go in front of
the verb.
So… Je lis le livre I am reading the book
becomes Je le lis. I am reading it
Underline the direct object in each of the following sentences.
EXAMPLE: Nous avons regardé un film. Then decide which direct object pronoun needs to replace it.
Nous avons regardé un film. Then rewrite the sentence with the pronoun instead of the noun (not forgetting to put it in front of the verb).
Nous l’avons regardé. (notice how le is shortened to l’ in front of a vowel)
le
1. Je déteste la natation.
2. Il va acheter cette voiture bleue.
3. Mes amis prendront le bus à 17h.
4.
Tu as vu mon cahier de français?
5. Je veux la pomme rouge.
6. Elle voit ses amis au parc tous les week-ends.
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How many did you get right? Did you have the correct word order?
If you do not feel ready to include these in your own work, ask your teacher for
further guidance and/or extra practice.
/6
Relative Pronouns QUI, QUE, CE QUI, CE QUE, OÙ that / which / where
You can use relative pronouns to join two sentences that have some content in
common.
We use the following pronouns to replace repeated nouns.
QUI
J’ai une voiture. La voiture est verte. I have a car. The car is green
You can avoid repeating la voiture by using a relative pronoun in its place.
In the second sentence la voiture is the subject of the verb to be (it is green) so
we replace it with qui.
J’ai une voiture qui est verte. I have a car which / that is green.
QUE
J’aime le portable. Ma mère a acheté le portable. I like the mobile phone. My mum bought the mobile.
You can avoid repeating le portable by using a relative pronoun in its place.
In the second sentence le portable is a direct object of the verb to buy (it has
been bought) so we replace it with que.
J’aime le portable que ma mere a acheté. I like the mobile that my mum bought.
QUI We use qui to replace nouns that are the subject of the verb.
QUE We use que to replace nouns that are the object of the verb.
OÙ We use où to replace places.
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OÙ
Nous sommes allés au cinéma. Nous avons vu un film au cinéma. We went to the cinema. We saw a film at the cinema.
You can avoid repeating au cinema by using où in its place.
Nous sommes allés au cinema où nous avons vu un film. We went to the cinema where we saw a film.
Join the sentences together using either qui, que or où.
EXAMPLE: J’ai regardé une emission de sport. L’émission était nulle. I watched a sports programme. The programme was rubbish.
J’ai regardé une emission de sport qui était nulle I watched a sports programme which/ that was rubbish.
1. J’ai acheté un ordinateur. L’ordinateur est dans ma chambre. 2. Tu vas perdre le match. Ta mère verra le match. 3. Nous aimons le chanteur. Le chanteur est à la télé. 4. Je vais au magasin. Je vais acheter un jean au magasin. 5. Elles travaillent à la bibliothèque. La bibliothèque se trouve à côté de mon école.
6. Elle parle avec le garçon. Tu aimes le garçon. 7. Vous avez pris le sac. Le sac est à moi.
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8. Nous avons un grand jardin. Nous jouons au foot dans le grand jardin. 9. Tu vois la fille? La fille parle avec la prof de français. 10. J’habite en face du centre sportif. Je fais du judo au centre sportif. 11. Mon ami a porté la chemise rose. Je n’aime pas cette chemise. 12. J’ai trouvé mon cahier. J’avais perdu le cahier.
How many did you get right?
If you do not feel ready to include these in your own work, ask your teacher for
further guidance and/or extra practice.
/12
Emphatic Pronouns me, you , him, her, us, you, them
Use these after prepositions.
(sans, avec, pour ….)
moi me
toi you
lui him
elle her
nous us
vous you
eux them
elles them
sans moi
without me avec lui
with him contre eux
against them
Find the French for the following: EXAMPLE: I danced with him. J’ai dansé avec lui
1. They left without her.
2. She sang in front of them (the girls)
3. There is a big dog behind you! (to a friend)
4. I live with them. (my parents)
5. They are going to play against us.
6. She goes swimming with me on Saturdays.
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How many did you get right? Were the tenses correct?
How many did you get right? Did the adjectives agree?
1.La Tour Eiffel est Big Ben. (taller than)
2.Les cuisses de grenouille sont les escargots. (worse than)
3.Mon prof de maths est mon prof de musique. (less boring)
4.L’avion est le train. (faster than)
5.J’adore cette bague en or, mais la bague en argent est . (less expensive)
6.La cuisine indienne est la cuisine américaine à mon avis. (better than)
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Comparatives and Superlatives more than / less than/ the most / the least
MEILLEUR
QUE
better than
Ben est plus grand que Paul.
Paul est moins grand que Ben.
Paul est aussi stupide que Ben.
BEN
PAUL
NELLY
VÉRO
When you compare feminine or plural
nouns you must make sure the
adjectives agree.
Nelly est plus grande que Véro.
Véro est moins grande que Nelly.
Véro est aussi intelligente que Nelly. PIRE QUE
worse than
Complete the following sentences with the correct comparative phrase:
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LE PIRE
the worst m.
the worst f.
the worst mpl.
the best m.
the best f.
LES MEILLEURS
the best mpl.
the worst fpl.
the best fpl.
Find the French for the following irregular superlatives:
How many did you get right? Did the adjectives agree? /12
If you do not feel ready to include these in your own work, ask your teacher for
further guidance and/or extra practice.
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Après avoir / après être + past participle After having done something
EXAMPLES:
Après avoir fait mes devoirs, j’ai regardé une émission de sport.
After having done my HW, I watched a sports programme.
Elle a lu un livre après être arrivée. She read a book after having arrived.
With être
verbs the past
participles have
to agree with
the subject.
1. Les filles sont arrivées en retard le bus.(after having taken)
2. Ils vont faire la fête le match. (after having won)
3. Je vais quitter le collège mes examens. (after having finished)
4. Elles sont sorties . (after having got dressed)
5. Elle a acheté un journal à la gare. (after having arrived)
6. Tu vas sortir tes devoirs? (after having done)
What do these sentences mean in English?
/6 How many did you get right? Did the past participles agree?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
If you do not feel ready to include these in your own
work, ask your teacher for further guidance and/or
extra practice.
How many did you get right? /6
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Avant de + infinitive Before doing something
EXAMPLES:
Avant de passer mes examens, je vais travailler dur.
Before taking my exams, I am going to work hard.
Il a rangé sa chambre avant de sortir. He tidied his room before going out.
How many did you get right? /6
What do these sentences mean in English?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
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Connectives à cause de because of ainsi que as well as à part except for alors so
aussi also
car because cependant however c’est-à-dire that is to say
comme like de l’autre côté on the other hand
donc so d’un côté on the one hand ensuite then/afterwards
évidemment obviously
mais but même si even if ou or parce que because
par contre on the other hand par exemple for example
pendant que whilst pourtant nevertheless puis then
puisque as, since quand when
sans doute no doubt sauf except si if y compris including
How many did you get right?
Complete the sentences with
the correct connective.
/6 What do they mean in English?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
/6
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Adverbs Describing verbs
Regular adverbs are easy to form:
Find the feminine form of an adjective soft
Add —ment softly
If the adjective ends in –ant, the ending of the adverb is –amment.
bruyant bruyamment
If the adjective ends in –ent, the ending of the adverb is –emment.
fréquent fréquemment
Some adverbs turn the final e of the adjective to –é to make it easier to pronounce.
précis précisément
Find the following adverbs:
How many did you get right? Did you check the irregular adverbs?
Masculine adjective Feminine adjective adverb English
1. lent lente lentement slowly
2. régulier
3. franc
4. honnête
5. curieux
6. soudain
7. évident
8. bon
9. mauvais
10. constant
11. énorme
/30
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How many did you get right?
En + the present participle Whilst doing something
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en jouant au tennis.
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Complete the sentences with the correct present participle:
How many did you get right?
If you do not feel ready to include these in your own work, ask your teacher for further
guidance and/or extra practice.
1. Je fais mes devoirs..
2. Elle se douche...
3. Les élèves quittent la classe...
4. Nous avons vu “Les Misérables”...
5. Je reste en forme...
6. J’ai eu de bonnes notes...
7. Elle s’est fait piquer par une
méduse...
8. Ils prennent le petit déjeuner...
9. Elle a regardé la télé...
10. Nous sommes entrés dans la salle..
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Expressions of time
You are expected to know and understand a variety of time expressions for the GCSE.
Find the English meaning for the following expressions and then indicate which tense each
one can be used with (don’t forget that some expressions can be used with a variety of
tenses).
English past present future
après-demain the day after tomorrow X
l’après-midi
avant-hier
à l’avenir
en avril
bientôt
d’abord
dans deux jours
demain
enfin
finalement
généralement
à tout à l’heure
hier
à six heures
il y a trois ans
le matin
à midi
mensuel
maintenant
le mois dernier
cette nuit
parfois
quelquefois
rarement
la semaine prochaine
le soir
souvent
toujours
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Using Adjectives to give opinions You are expected to know and understand a variety of adjectives for the GCSE.
Find the English meaning for the following adjectives and then indicate whether they are
positive, negative or may not necessarily be either.
English P N neither
aimable
animé
barbant
bavard
beau/bel/belle
bruyant
casse-pieds
déçu
démodé
dégoûtant
drôle
égoïste
épouvantable
fâché
faible
fatigant
fermé
génial
gratuit
joli
laid
maigre
marrant
mauvais
nul
parfait
pénible
rigolo
sain
sensass
seul
triste
utile
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